Most stands in this group were formerly dominated or co-dominated by American chestnut (Castanea dentata) before overstory trees of this species were decimated by an introduced fungal blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) in the early 20th century, and all but the most inaccessible had previously been logged. Trees on more exposed sites often exhibit stunted, gnarled stature, reflecting the influences of high winds and frequent ice damage. Pre-settlement chestnut and mixed oak-chestnut forests at high elevation likely experienced low-intensity fires ignited by lightning strikes every 40-60 years. Contemporary fire exclusion and the abundance of competing vegetation in the understory contribute to poor oak regeneration and invasion by mesophytic trees such as red maple (Acer rubrum) or sugar maple (Acer saccharum var. saccharum) in many montane red oak forests. Gypsy moth infestation, which has lead to repeated defoliation and widespread tree mortality on the northern Blue Ridge, is another serious threat to this and other oak-dominated communities.

Northern Red Oak Forests have been fairly well documented by 82 plot samples from 26 counties in western Virginia (map). The Evergreen Shrub Type (see below) is a relatively rare community in Virginia and needs additional inventory and sampling.
Click on any highlighted CEGL code below to view the global USNVC description provided by NatureServe Explorer.